Houghton University Athletics

David Lewis grew up in Joppa, Maryland before attending and graduating from The King’s College with a degree in religion and philosophy in 1978. While serving as the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church just down the road in Franklinville, Lewis added the title of college Head Coach to his resume when he took the helm of the Houghton women’s soccer program in a part-time capacity in 1991.
 
Soon thereafter he and his family moved to Houghton when Lewis expanded his part-time position into a full-time assignment with additional responsibilities as the Director of Christian Life at the college.
 
A former college All-American with 10 years of high school coaching experience, Coach Lewis felt ready for the challenge that awaited him. He inherited a team that had gone 2-14-1 in 1990 and which had only one winning season in 10 years of competition. But Lewis quickly laid the foundation for a rich tradition of success. His teams started to win and continued to win, earning 12 trips to the NAIA Nationals, including a string of nine years in a row. They reached the Elite Eight in 2005 and 2006 and the Sweet 16 six times.

Lewis holds the national record for career coaching wins in NAIA women’s soccer history with 326 victories, and is among the Top 10 women’s soccer coaches in the nation at any level in career winning percentage. He was recognized six times as the NSCAA NAIA Northeast Coach of the Year, and nine times as the conference/divisional coach of the year.
 
As of his induction, Lewis's coaching record stood at 348 wins, 79 losses and 26 ties.
 
Coach Lewis’s players and teams have been recognized for their play on the field, their work in the classroom and their commitment to sportsmanship and sports ministry. His teams have won team academic awards, team ethics awards and in 2005 were the first-ever recipients of the Buffalo Fund Five Star Team of Character Award.
 
“Coach Lewis’s commitment to excellence, not only in play, but in ministry, has been an inspiration to all of us,” Houghton Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics H. “Skip” Lord shared recently.

Lewis believes that quality soccer can be combined with a passionate Christian faith. “Some programs emphasize quality soccer, but at the expense of their Christian faith. Others demonstrate a passionate faith, but they don’t play very attractive soccer,” says Lewis. “I believe the two can be combined. We are far from perfect in this endeavor, but this premise remains our foundation and objective.”
 
When asked about what serving and coaching has meant to him, Coach Lewis responds: “I hope God has used me in some small measure for His Kingdom purposes.  Yet, I believe that I have been the biggest benefactor through coaching here at Houghton.  I have learned so much from the interactions with players, parents and alumni. And for that I am grateful.”
 
Former player Bethany Crozier-Goering had this to say about Coach Lewis’s impact on her life: “Coach is much more than just our coach. God's works shine through him and all he accomplishes on the soccer field. I never would have imagined the impact of my decision to play soccer for Houghton and Coach Lewis. I never planned to travel so far away from home for college, but after meeting coach and the team, I knew this was my new home.”

In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Coach Lewis teaches the college’s Sports Ministry courses, an area of passion for him. He has taken his players and teams to Russia, Czech Republic, Sweden, England, Austria, Australia, Ethiopia, Costa Rica and Brazil, using soccer as an avenue to share the Gospel of Christ.
 
An ordained minister who holds Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees, Lewis has performed more than 25 weddings of former players and Houghton students.
 
When asked about his proudest moment at Houghton, Coach Lewis responds: “To see the transforming work of God in the lives of young women. It has also been rewarding to see the number of players who have become actively involved in sports ministry and coaching and utilizing a small portion of the lessons God has taught them while at Houghton.”
 
Coach Lewis was joined at the ceremony by his wife Eileen, daughters Rebekah and Bethany, sons-in-law Michael Jones and Kyle Alcock and granddaughter Lily and grandson Judah.